Parental alienation refers to the emotional manipulation that one parent uses on their children to make them reject the other parent. It is common in contentious separations or divorces where parents are fighting for custody of their children.
Unfortunately, this escalating tension between the parties ends up spilling over to the children.
Many people view this phenomenon as a “subtle” form of child abuse because professionals consider it a “disruption of the child’s psychological and emotional development.”
Examples of parental alienation include a child flatly refusing to visit the other parent or spend time with him or her, or one parent questioning or criticizing everything the other parent does or fails to do, etc. This is commonly referred to as “brainwashing.” Many of these alienated children end up feeling afraid of or ashamed of the other parent, which is why they do not want to spend time with him or her.
Parental alignment can be diagnosed by a professional, such as a psychologist. In this case, if we want it to be used as evidence in a trial, we must prove its existence through a psychological evaluation of the minor. How can we use it as evidence in a trial? By asking the psychologist to prepare an expert report that documents the psychological evaluation of the minor.
Therefore, if you believe your child is experiencing parental alienation by the other parent, you must also provide additional evidence—such as WhatsApp messages, recordings, etc.—to show that this is occurring. If you find yourself in this situation, please don’t hesitate to contact us, and we’ll provide you with detailed information on how to proceed.
Anna Nicolàs Torán
Attorney Specializing in Family Law
MC Abogados
